William h



(No Model.)

. I I W H. KINGMAN. APPLIANCE FOR TEACHING PENMANSHIP.

No. 503,796. Patnted Aug; 22, 1893.

WITNEEEESI INVENTEI UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

WILLIAM H. KINGMAN, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPLIANCE FOR TEACHING PENMANSHIP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,796, dated August 22, 1893.

Application filed July 7, 1893. Serial No. 479,843. (No model.)

T0 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. KINGMAN, of Reading, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Appliances for Teaching Penmanship, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient device for inculcating the habit of holding a pen-stock in such position that it will point directly over the right shoulder of the writer, this being the position recommended by teachers and experts in penmanship, in preference to the position in which a pen-stock is ordinarily held,name1y, inclining considerably to the right of the position above named.

The invention consists in an appliance comprising a rod, an arm projecting from said rod at a point about midway of its length, and a pen-stock-holding tube or sleeve affixed to the outer end of said arm and standing substantially at a right angle with the rod. The parts of the improved appliance are so arranged relatively to each other that, when a pen-stock inserted in said tube is grasped between the thumb and the first and second fingers, one end of the rod will rest upon the third and fourth fingers, and the other end will rest upon the paper or surface upon which the pen is held in the act of writing, the result being that the pen-stock is held at the desired angle and points directly over the shoulder of thewriter.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification: Figure 1 represents a perspective view, showing my improved appliance holding a pen-stock and occupying its operative position in the hand of a writer. Fig. 2 represents a front view, showing the improved appliance, the pen-stock and the hand. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the appliance, the pen=stock beingremoved from its holder] The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the views.

In the drawings: a represent a rod, which may be made of any suitable length, and is preferably from six to eight inches long. To

the rod, at a point about midway between its ends, is suitably affixed an arm I), projecting outwardly from the rod. I prefer toconnect the arm 17 to the rod, by means of a sleeve 1), to which the inner end of the arm is aiiixed, said sleeve being of suitable size to surround and fit closely upon the rod.

0 represents a tube or sleeve, afiixed rigidly to the outer end of the arm I), and of suitable size to receive a pen-stock d or other writing appliance, the tube 0 being preferably large enough to permit the pen-stock to fit somewhat loosely and turn freely in it. The tube 0 stands at substantially a right angle with the rod a, and is elevated above said rod by the arm I), to such a height that, when the pen-stock held by the tube is grasped in the usual way between the thumb and the first and second fingers of the hand, the rod will pass under the thumb, and over the inwardlybent third and fourth fingers of the hand, the rod standing in inclined position, so that, when in use, one end of it will bear upon the paper, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2,the other end being somewhat elevated above the paper, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. When the appliance is held in the manner described, and as shown in the drawings, the pen-stock necessarily points directly over the right shoulder of the writer. This position of the pen-stock is the one which is now generally approved by experts and teachers of penmanship, and the habit of holding the pen-stock in this position is easily acquired by the use of this appliance. Many people naturally hold the penstock at the inclination represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2, this being considered an incorrect position. The use of my improved appliance enables the habit of incorrectly holding the pen-stock to be readily overcome.

I claim- The improved appliance for teaching penmanship, the same comprising a rod, an arm projecting from said rod at a point about midway of its length, and a pen-stock-holding tube or sleeve affixed to the outer end of said arm and standing substantially at a right angle with the rod, the relative arrangement of the said parts being such that, when a penstock inserted in said tube is grasped be tween the thumb and the first and second fini ne end q iJhe-md mexres Qe he th paper or surface on which the pen bears, the

pen-stock being thus caused to stand at the 5 desired angle relatively to the body of the user, as set forth. i 7

In te'stirhony whereof I have signed my ,n augeuto tl is specifipz tioq jg the presence of \t zQM Jwscrib qg w mis esmlhis zwh y of June, A. D. 1893.

WILLIAM H. KINGMAN. Witnesses:

MARY WLIDRATT,

L. A. HOPKINS. 

